THINK IT'S TOO EARLY to be
planning your next cross-country ski trip? If you’ve ever wanted to experience
that quintessential winter wonderland small-town getaway where it’s just you in
a log cabin surrounded by endless white powder, you’ll want to start planning
now to visit the Methow Valley.
Heading out into the heart of
Central Washington is a journey in of itself. The big city slowly slips away
and the land opens up to endless freedom. Check conditions at the passes:
Snoqualmie and Blewitt Pass are two big ones if coming from around the Seattle
area, and Blewitt can be notorious to sending your car spinning out if not
ready for winter driving. You’ll eventually leave the congestion of the city
behind and wind further north, past Cashmere and Chelan, until it’s just you in
the wide open country. Once you hit Twisp, you’re nearly there, and there’s a
good grocery store just outside the rustic sign welcoming you to Winthrop.
Finding a place to stay near
Winthrop is ideal for easy access to all the major cross-country ski areas. Not
to mention it’s a chic frontier-style town straight out of the Wild, Wild West
with wooden boardwalks, saloons, gift shops, breweries, and inns that are a ton
of fun to explore, while deer and horses meander along the chilly Methow River.
If you’re taking a break from skiing, there’s an outdoor ice skating rink, ice
fishing further outside of town, and so many neat coffee nooks and eateries
that it will be tough not to eat out every night.
Airbnb, VRBO, and Expedia all
offer easy ways to search for accommodation, but be aware that this place books
up fast. We’re talking world-class cross-country skiing. I’ve always been a
downhill fan myself, but lately downhill skiing’s prices have been going sky-high.
Cross-country skiing is a great workout, and try skate skiing to recapture the
thrill of flying across miles of groomed trails with nothing but the mountains
and the sun overhead.
Methow Valley Trails passes
(available to be bought on the Methow Valley Trails website or at a local sporting store in town) run you around $78 for 3 days, or $30 for
1 day, and that covers four amazing areas—plus, kids under 17 and seniors over
75 are free! I’d like to highlight Methow Cycle & Sport which had pulks for
rent if you’re here with toddlers.
All four major Ski Areas around
Winthrop are connected by the Methow Valley Community Trail. We stayed at WolfridgeResort, a bundle of log cabins with an
outdoor hot tub, and you could wake up and walk out your door to start skiing
the community trail.
This time was a different
experience for us with a toddler on board. We
planned skiing outings around our
little one’s naptime, and sure enough, the pulk lulled her to sleep and was
relatively light to pull for long distances. If you have little kids or for
beginners, I recommend Mazama and Jack’s River Run:
Mazama
This place is going to be a big
hit for the little ones. It’s mainly a flat groomed trail system past an old
farmstead with easy loops and picturesque landscape that could have inspired
the lyric, “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!” Plus you may
get to see biathlon training in action. Check out the Goat Creek trail through
the woods for a bit more intermediate excitement that will take you all the way
to a suspension bridge.
Mazama Public House, operated
by Old Schoolhouse Brewery
We could not have asked for a better
lunch spot after skiing the trails at Mazama. Neighborhood vibes abound in this
new pub house, which sports garage doors that overlook pristine mountains. It's family-friendly with savory food that was so good we came back again. I’m not usually
a fan of nachos, but this take included a fresh, unique salsa and succulent
pork that made me want to revisit the dish all over, along with quinoa bowls
and great takes on hearty sandwiches and fries that was distinctly memorable.
You can’t ask for much better to get off the track and grab an IPA or cider
ice-cold from the tap, with a ton of local favorites to choose from. Mazama
Public House was launched by a long-time resident and offers a fantastic
experience with reasonable prices.
Jack’s River Run
Honestly, this was our first time
at Jack’s River Run. Go until the highway ends (or Mazama has a trail that
connects to this ski area) and you’ll find relatively flat trails with cliffs
looming above you. It’s mainly forested until you break out to one of those
gorgeous meadows with a warming hut. For a challenge, check out Doe Canyon.
Sun Mountain: Chickadee Trailhead
Once the kiddos (or you) have
gotten the hang of things, the Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain to the south
is the “it” place for intermediate and advanced skiers. I have many fond
memories exploring the diverse trails here, and yes, there are steep descents
that will excite the downhiller’s heart. Take Thompson Road up to the top and
enjoy the Upper and Inner Passage down (black diamond rating)—just be careful
if it’s icy! There’s tons of fun loops through the forest like Criss-Cross and
Rodeo, and even the easy routes take you by beautiful lakes and offer a trek
back up to the famous Sun Mountain Lodge at the mountain top. Not a fan of
steep ascents? Sun Mountain Lodge is worth a drive just to visit and see the
view.
Rendezvous: Cub Creek
Trailhead
If the weather’s decent and your
heart is really set on a challenge, it may be time to embark on the drive over
to Cub Creek Trailhead at Rendezvous Trailhead, easily the most difficult ski
area with grueling uphill and in my opinion, not quite as much of the fun that
you get at Sun Mountain. The shade and heavy forest adds an extra layer of
chill to the remote experience. However, if you’re an advanced skier
with thunder thighs, this is the place to go.
Overall, there are so many ways
to build your trip to the Methow Valley—and that’s just in winter! This truly is a
storybook gem we’ve fallen in love with and can’t say enough good things about.
As for our toddler? It checked all her boxes, too.
*Disclaimer:
This post is depicted as fiction, not fact
